Physical obstacle avoidance in a virtual reality environment

Abstract

At least one physical object located in a real world environment in which a user physically is located can be detected using at least one sensor. Coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment can be determined. A virtual object can be presented in a virtual reality environment at virtual coordinates, relative to a virtual representation of the user in the virtual reality environment, corresponding to the determined real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 detecting, using at least one sensor, at least one physical object located in a real world environment in which a user physically is located;   determining, using a processor, real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment; and   presenting a virtual object in a virtual reality environment at virtual coordinates, relative to a virtual representation of the user in the virtual reality environment, corresponding to the determined real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual coordinates of the virtual object relative to the user in the virtual reality environment change according to changes in the real world environment coordinates of the physical object relative to the user in the real world environment. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 detecting movement of the physical object in the real world environment; and   moving the virtual object in the virtual reality environment to correspond to the movement of the physical object in the real world environment.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual object does not look like the physical object, but instead is selected to match visual characteristics of the virtual reality environment. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one dimension of the virtual object is selected based on at least one dimension of the physical object. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the virtual object is presented to the user for whom the real world environment coordinates are determined. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting, using the at least one sensor, the at least one physical object located in a real world environment in which a user physically is located is performed while the user interacts with the virtual reality environment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the presenting, using the processor, the virtual object in the virtual reality environment at virtual coordinates corresponding to the determined real world environment coordinates relative to the user comprises presenting the virtual reality environment on at least one mobile virtual reality display. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a sound in the real world environment;   determining a second virtual object to represent a physical object that is a source of the sound; and   presenting the second virtual object in the virtual reality environment.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 generating, in real time, an audio signal to mask or enhance the detected sound; and   outputting the audio signal via at least one output audio transducer while the sound continues to be detected.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor programmed to initiate executable operations comprising:   detecting, using at least one sensor, at least one physical object located in a real world environment in which a user physically is located;   determining real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment; and   presenting a virtual object in a virtual reality environment at virtual coordinates, relative to a virtual representation of the user in the virtual reality environment, corresponding to the determined real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the virtual coordinates of the virtual object relative to the user in the virtual reality environment change according to changes in the real world environment coordinates of the physical object relative to the user in the real world environment. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , the executable operations further comprising:
 detecting movement of the physical object in the real world environment; and   moving the virtual object in the virtual reality environment to correspond to the movement of the physical object in the real world environment.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the virtual object does not look like the physical object, but instead is selected to match visual characteristics of the virtual reality environment. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein at least one dimension of the virtual object is selected based on at least one dimension of the physical object. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the virtual object is presented to the user for whom the real world environment coordinates are determined. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the detecting, using the at least one sensor, the at least one physical object located in a real world environment in which a user physically is located is performed while the user interacts with the virtual reality environment. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the presenting, using the processor, the virtual object in the virtual reality environment at virtual coordinates corresponding to the determined real world environment coordinates relative to the user comprises presenting the virtual reality environment on at least one mobile virtual reality display. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , the executable operations further comprising:
 detecting a sound in the real world environment;   determining a second virtual object to represent a physical object that is a source of the sound; and   presenting the second virtual object in the virtual reality environment.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , the executable operations further comprising:
 generating, in real time, an audio signal to mask or enhance the detected sound; and   outputting the audio signal via an output audio transducer while the sound continues to be detected.   
     
     
         21 . A data processing system, comprising:
 a processor programmed to initiate executable operations comprising:   detecting, using at least one sensor, at least one physical object located in a real world environment in which a user physically is located;   determining real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment; and   presenting a virtual object in a virtual reality environment at virtual coordinates, relative to a virtual representation of the user in the virtual reality environment, corresponding to the determined real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment.   
     
     
         22 . A gaming controller, comprising:
 a processor programmed to initiate executable operations comprising:   detecting, using at least one sensor, at least one physical object located in a real world environment in which a user physically is located;   determining real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment; and   presenting a virtual object in a virtual reality environment at virtual coordinates, relative to a virtual representation of the user in the virtual reality environment, corresponding to the determined real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment.   
     
     
         23 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, the program code executable by a data processing system to initiate operations including:   detecting, using at least one sensor, at least one physical object located in a real world environment in which a user physically is located;   determining, by the processor, real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment; and   presenting a virtual object in a virtual reality environment at virtual coordinates, relative to a virtual representation of the user in the virtual reality environment, corresponding to the determined real world environment coordinates of where the physical object is located relative to the user in the real world environment.   
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein the virtual coordinates of the virtual object relative to the user in the virtual reality environment change according to changes in the real world environment coordinates of the physical object relative to the user in the real world environment. 
     
     
         25 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein the program code is executable by the data processing system to initiate operations further comprising:
 detecting movement of the physical object in the real world environment; and   moving the virtual object in the virtual reality environment to correspond to the movement of the physical object in the real world environment.